SPRINGFIELD
– Chorovaya Akademia will bring the traditions of Russian choral music to the
University of Illinois at Springfield’s Sangamon Auditorium at 8 p.m. on Friday,
March 16, sponsored by WUIS.

The
men’s a cappella choir Chorovaya Akademia (Choral Academy) was founded
in Moscow in 1989 under the direction of Alexander Sedov. The 16 professional
musicians with a deep commitment to choral singing are virtually all graduates
of the Moscow or St. Petersburg conservatories.

Chorovaya
Akademia has performed throughout Russia and in the leading concert halls and
museums of Moscow. In May 1991 the choir was awarded first prize at the “Black
Madonna” International Festival of Religious Music in Poland, and later returned
to Poland with equal success at the “Muzika Antiqua” festival. Its debut American
tour in 1993 was met with exceptional acclaim and resulted in three return tours.
In October 1997, the Chorovaya Akademia was awarded two gold medals and the
grand prize at the World Championship of Performing Arts competition in Los
Angeles.

The
choir’s repertoire includes both ecclesiastical and secular works from different
historical periods, from ancient chants to the most complex polyphony. The program
will feature Pavel Chesnokov’s Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and a variety
of folk songs.

A
Pre-show Discussion & Questions session (PDQ), sponsored by Barnes &
Noble, will be held at 7:15 p.m. in the Studio Theatre, PAC level 1.

Tickets
are $22, 19, 17, and 11. Tickets can be ordered by calling the Sangamon Auditorium
Ticket Office, (217) 206-6160 or (800) 207-6960, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday.

The
auditorium administrative offices can be reached at (217) 206-6150 or by e-mail
at onstage@uis.edu.